MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
On behalf of the Division of Recreational Sports, I sincerely thank all of the wonderful students, faculty, staff
and guests that take advantage of the exceptional programs offered by our Division. 2013-2014 will be a
memorable year for many reasons, but none larger than the passage of a $236 million dollar referendum
to provide students with the recreational and wellness facilities that this great institution deserves. Our
members visited us more than 1.5 million times throughout the year, with 74% of participations being by
students. 100% of our professional staff participated in the VCFA EID Study, and our Division continues to be
proactive in administrative excellence through Administrative Process Redesign and resource stewardship.
We in the Division of Recreational Sports recognize the responsibility that comes to us with a referendum
such as the one passed in March, 2014. In meeting that responsibility, the Division is embarking on a 10-year
vision over the life of construction of the new facilities to ensure that we are meeting all of our usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs.
One of the key components of meeting those needs is to offer a Recreational Health and Wellness Program
that is available to all UW-Madison affiliated persons. The Division will launch a plan to engage campus
partners and provide guidance and leadership in opening these new facilities with top notch Health and
Wellness programs.
Once again, thank you for living a healthy lifestyle through your participation in the Division of Recreational
Sports. On, Wisconsin!
Sincerely,
John A. Horn
Director of Recreational Sports

3

MISSION & VALUES
Mission.
The mission of the Division of Recreational Sports is to enrich the UW-Madison experience by providing excellent programs,
services and facilities that promote the social, mental, and physical well-being of the campus community.

Values.
•

Innovation and excellence: We are committed to providing innovative, diverse and high-quality programs, services and
facilities that support and enhance the mission of the University.

•

Student development: We are committed to providing students with developmental opportunities including, but not limited
to, leadership, supervision and conflict resolution.

•

Collaboration: We are committed to fostering relationships by partnering with students, campus departments and
community organizations to support projects and events.

•

Resource stewardship: We are committed to using our financial, human, and physical resources in a responsible manner.

•

Diversity and inclusion: We are committed to providing rich and unique opportunities for all employees, members, and
participants. Through similarities and differences we find in race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity expression, sexual
orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, religion, experiences, backgrounds, and national origin, we believe that diversity
enriches and empowers all of our members and staff.

•

Health and wellness: We are committed to serving the campus as the recreational health and wellness leader.

4

ACHIEVEMENTS
A look at the growth and impact of programs, services, personnel
and communications on serving the UW-Madison community and
fulfilling the Rec Sports mission.

Passed a $236 million referendum to build new facilities with a final vote of 12,070 to 1,914 in favor of the Master Plan, the
largest margin of victory in the history of the University
Worked closely with the student organization Badgers for Recreational Reform to gain student support for the project
Gave over 70 presentations to students, campus officials, and community members
Created and maintained a blog to educate and gain feedback about the plan; the blog will continue to provide updates
about design and construction as the project moves forward

Continued to brand across the Division by ensuring materials have the new logo and similar design elements
Introduced brand mantra Play Hard. Get Fit. Live Well.
Developed the Hey Badgers photo campaign on Facebook that encouraged students to send a positive, motivating
messages to campus by writing the message on a part of their body
Hired a Marketing Assistant to assist with workload and campaign for the Master Plan
Increased student marketing staff to include 15 videographers, photographers, and graphic designers
Collaborated with University Communications on Twitter, The Weekly and Inside UW to promote programs and services
Introduced a “passport” concept at the Rockin’ with Rec Sports Wisconsin Welcome event to encourage engagement with all
program areas with the incentive of receiving a free t-shirt and prizes
Introduced EZ Texting as an opt-in texting service for members to receive updates about facility closures and cancellations,
fitness programs and Intramural Sports
Communicated with members via emails 2-3 times per semester to all Rec Sports members with program updates
Organized staged photo shoots of programs and participants in order to build the Rec Sports photo library
Created an Instagram account with a soft launch of the platform in Summer 2014
Initiated conversations with DoIT to have Rec Sports included on the upcoming Mobile UW 2.0 mobile application
Developed branded design templates for all 2014-2015 marketing materials to increase efficiency in design process
6

Extend the reach of Rec Sports programs and services across campus and
the greater Madison community through the creation of outreach and
collaborative initiatives and programs.
•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Hosted Badgers ADAPT (Ability Diversity Achieved by Partnering Together), an adapted recreation program for students
and community members to celebrate and educate students on ability diversity, in collaboration with other campus units
and community resources
Hosted Day of Play in the Fall and Spring, attracting a total of 250 kids (grades K-8) to Rec Sports facilities to engage with
student staff in recreational activities
Integrated Day of Play and Badgers ADAPT into the Wisconsin Wellness Expo, which attracted a total of 800 visitors
Partnered with the Center for First-Year Experience for the First-Year Flag Football, First-Year Battleship, and First-Year
Broomball tournaments
Partnered with Hoofers and Greek students to host a Pond Hockey Tournament in conjunction with the Winter Carnival
Expanded Workplace Workouts to include a third location at Grainger Hall in order to provide wellness programming to
more UW faculty and staff
Named the Wisconsin Red Cross training site for Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructors who want to become Red Cross
Instructor Trainers
Increased number and variety of Red Cross certification courses offered to the greater Madison community
Worked with the Greater Madison Tennis Association (GMTA) to bring Quick Start Kids’ Tennis to Nielsen Tennis Stadium
Participated in Toys for Tots Toy Run (Sport Clubs)

Provided inclusive programming that allowed Rec Sports to serve a new population through the Badgers ADAPT program
Recruited for student positions on UW Job Center, Multicultural Student Center, International Student Services and the
African American Students Academic Services Job Board
Added diversity education and activities to the All-Staff Training for student employees

Improve the divisional work order tracking system through the
implementation and completion of an Administration Process Redesign (APR)
project.
•
•
•
•
•

Improved work order completion rates by 70%
Trained 75% of professional staff in Lean Six Sigma/APR methodologies to increase efficiencies
Initiated weekly building rounds with facilities and maintenance staff to identify and document facility operational issues
Improved customer service by increasing communication between members, program areas, and maintenance staff
regarding equipment maintenance using the Rec Sports website
Implemented a system using student Senior Facility Supervisors to ensure that all projects were complete

Participated in the WiGrow campus initiative to focus on development of students
Developed a resume writing workshop for student employees through collaborations with the Career Services Center
Student-run Emergency Action Committee held trainings in all facilities
Involved students in the process of becoming a worksite program for students with disabilities
All departments held multiple trainings and in-services for student employees throughout the year
Trained fitness student staff in trending formats and techniques
Eleven student officials represented UW at regional and national tournaments, including the first female official to
represent the Division at the regional level
Sent 13 students to campus recreation conferences for professional development and networking
Secured three students with Graduate Assistantships in campus recreation

8

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

More business than usual.

Revenue.

$5,114,709

In an effort to develop a business hub to
support the Divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial affairs, Rec
Sports filled the vacant Financial Program
Supervisor position and hired an additional
Financial Specialist this year.

Student Segregated Fees

$2,866,751

Programs & Memberships

$2,092,904

Related Sources

$155,054

Expenses.

$4,023,366

Rec Sports identified and created space
for the Finance Department Hub in a
central location at the SERF. The office will
eventually be the home for the entire Finance
Department. Additional improvements were
made with the approval of funding for a
software license, training, consulting services,
and hosting services for Microsoft Dynamics
Great Plains, which is currently used by the
other auxiliaries at UW-Madison. The new
software will greatly increase reporting
efficiencies in the preparation of monthly and
year-end financial statements for the Division.

StudentÂ wages

$1,093,930

Other salaries & wages

$964,879

Fringes

$405,689

Staff education & training

$63,473

Technical support

$179,863

Supplies & equipment

$151,058

Communication & purchasing

$59,321

Instructional support materials

$139,097

Maintenance & repairs

$287,545

Capital expenditures

$173,807

Insurance

$83,404

Utilities & special purpose

$237,361

Miscellaneous

$183,939

Fund 101 instructional support revenue
totaled $401,229 and the related expenses
were $401,227.

revenue from all membership sales

percent
of revenue generated by
program-related sources

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

9

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

thousand

percent
of expenses returned to
students in wages

FACILITIES
The front line.

Facility use by member type.

The addition of a full-time coordinator at the Natatorium
(Suzanne Merrill) allowed for increased support for daily
operations and attention to student staff.

74%
students

In April, Megan Holman, Sandy Terhune, and two student staff
members were recognized by Dean of Students Lori Berquam
with the Exceptional Citizenship Award for â&#x20AC;&#x153;outstanding public
serviceâ&#x20AC;? after they responded to an incident at the SERF.
Additionally, the student-led Emergency Action Committee
completed at least two mock emergency responses each
week during the school year.

13%
special events
10%

With the continued growth of the Division, five professional
office spaces were created in renovated spaces at the SERF.
A student coordinator hub replaced the former conference
room to provide students with their own workspace.

faculty/staff,
emeritus/retired,
alumni,
& guest audit

Weekly walkthroughs improved relationships between
maintenance and campus custodial staff members as well as
overall facility cleanliness and upkeep.

When students voted to support the $236 million Master Plan in
March, they not only voted for improved facilities but for an improved
Wisconsin Experience that extends beyond the classroom. Rec Sports
is extremely grateful for those who envisioned a better experience for
future generations of Badgers and this great university.

11

All facility renderings were created by architects Kahler Slater out of Milwaukee.

We did it!
Perhaps one of the greatest points of pride regarding the
success of the Master Plan is the involvement of students
throughout the process. Rec Sports staff collectively
gave over 70 presentations during the school year and
consistently met with student government leaders to
maintain transparency and solicit feedback.
A competition pool with a diving well and at least 1,500
seating capacity will be built at the SERF, while a recreation and
instruction pool is planned for the Natatorium site (pictured).

With a limited budget for marketing and promoting the
Master Plan, Rec Sports used a primarily “grass roots”
campaign strategy. The Division maintained a blog that
compiled news and updates, plan details, video marketing
and comments from site visitors. In total, the blog received
over 95,000 views and 470 comments.
The student organization Badgers for Recreational Reform
(BRR) played a vital role in educating campus about the
project. From distributing flyers and making presentations
to posting on social media, BRR was very influential in
building momentum leading up to the vote.
Now that Rec Sports has acquired the support of students,
the projects awaits approval by the Board of Regents.
An architectural firm will be selected, and Rec Sports will
continue to engage students in the design process.

percent

of students who voted
on the referendum
supported the Master
Plan

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

87 57

“

Education isn’t
just about the mind.
It’s about figuring out
how to live one’s life
as an effective and
productive person, and
that means integrating
both the mind and the
body.

percent

of the project cost will
be funded by student
segregated fees

”

MARCH 3 - 5

> Chancellor Rebecca Blank on
the value of campus recreation.
She has committed to raising
$55 million for the project.

The addition of a full-time Group-X coordinator and a student
coordinator allowed for growth in a variety of programs. Fitness
trends such as high-intensity workouts and functional/bodyweight
training were incorporated into fitness classes. Personal trainers also
paired with sport club teams to offer sport-specific training programs.

13

Let’s talk about tech.
Personal trainers used technology to
enhance their clients’ experience with
heart rate monitors and a variety of apps,
including Seconds Timing, My Fitness Pal,
and Coach’s Eye.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Tabata were added as new high
intensity Group-X formats and were consistently well attended. In total, Rec
Sports offered 11 formats and over 100 classes each week.

of Personal Training clients
returned from last year

82
81
29

Fitness Consultants

Group-X Instructors

Personal Trainers

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

percent

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

62

The professional staff also used Coach’s Eye
to provide feedback on Group-X instructors’
performance (execution and teaching skills).

Workplace Workouts nearly doubled from
2012-2013, with a third location being added
at Grainger Hall and an increase to 7 sessions.

“
Wellness outreach initiatives expanded
to include collaboration with Residence
Life as instructors led classes for
housefellows during summer training.

She is simply amazing. I am
blown away by how attentive,
flexible, and competent she is.
She is unequivocally the best
thing that has happened to my
health in over ten years.

”

> Client feedback about her Rec Sports trainer.
Trainers are UW-Madison students with national
17
American Council on Exercise certifications.

This year the Aquatics program broadened the variety of aquatic
lessons for students and faculty, helped meet the community
demand for Red Cross certification courses, and promoted new
aquatic activities for students on campus.

It’s amazing the skills
lifeguarding has given
me for the healthcare
field. It prepared me
well for some of the
basic things employers
are looking for such as
teamwork, leadership,
communication,
customer service, and
composure.

”

> Rec Sports student lifeguard

Instructional classes expanded with the addition of a
Springboard Diving course.

54

student
lifeguards and
instructors

98

percent
Over 300 participants joined the swim lesson program
this year. Instructors used the Coach’s Eye app to enhance
feedback on skill development and technique.

Participation in the Scuba
program increased by 76%
from 2012-2013.

Safety first.
Rec Sports became a state-recognized Red Cross Instructor
Training site this year. In addition to training and developing
student staff, Assistant Director of Aquatics Bonnie Griswold
added Lifeguarding Instructor, Waterfront Lifeguarding, and
several Lifeguarding Review courses to meet community
demand. Griswold also worked with the National Red Cross on
a prototype for a weekend Instructor Training School.

of swim lesson
participants are
satisfied with their
experience

2

thousand
more lap swimmers
than in 2012-2013
16

The participantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience was enhanced through improved
communication efforts, offering more exciting championships,
initiating adaptive programming and partnering with other campus
units. These efforts appeared to be successful, as 75% of participants
said they plan to return for more fun next year.

17

326
24
Sport Offiicals

Rec Sports hosted the second
annual WIRSA State Flag Football
Officials Clinic in conjunction
with the First Year Experience
Flag Football Tournament.

2263

teams participated in 49
sports this year.

Competitive Sport
Supervisors

Inner Tube Water Polo, Battleship (pictured), Wallyball and
a Swim Meet were added to the wide variety of sport
offerings already available. Over 320 students participated
in these new sports throughout the year.

10

Student Coordinators

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I loved playing in Camp
Randall this year. It was a
great experience... keep
that up!

Three student staff members
from the Intramural Sports
program were placed in graduate
assistantships in campus
recreation.

Over 8,800 individuals participated in
Intramural Sports, with many of them
playing multiple sports.

18

Sport Clubs and Intramural Sports were combined to form the
Competitive Sports department. This integration provides additional
support and resources for both programs. An additional full-time
coordinator position was added to provide the support needed to
improve the Competitive Sports experience for all participants.

19

Ready...set...grow.
The program grew as Swimming, Boxing,
Men’s Basketball, Men’s Volleyball, and
Gymnastics were added or reinstated as
clubs.
In order to support 42 clubs, Competitive
Sports added six student coordinators and
two full-time professional staff members.
Each club was required to add a Safety
Officer position and have at least two
members certified in CPR/AED/First Aid.

98% of club leaders self-reported that
the Sport Club program impacted the
development of their leadership skills.

“

A endowment of this magnitude
is a complete ‘game changer’ for the
future of our Sport Clubs program...
it will allow future generations of
Badgers to have more enriched
experiences playing the sports they
love.

”

> Director John Horn on the anonymous
$2.15 million endowment given this year to
support club operations, uniforms, equipment,
travel, tournament fees, and lodging.

54 years after it was banned from campus, boxing was approved as a sport
club and a multi-purpose space was created for practice at the Natatorium.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

80% of Sport Club participants indicated
they plan on participating in the program
next year (14% of respondents are
ineligible next year due to graduation).

21 clubs represented UW-Madison in competition at the regional and/or
national level.

42
392
625
Sport Clubs

Competitions

Service Hours

20

Learn to Skate, Stick and Puck, and Late Night Open Rec Skate
continued to be popular ice programs with high attendance and
interest on campus. In order to continue to support excellent
programs and opportunities on the ice, Rec Sports also replaced its
aging Zamboni with a brand new machine for the upcoming season.

21

A total of 429 participants took part in instructional tennis programs,
including classes and lessons, this year. Programs for all skill levels
provided an introduction to the sport as well as technique refinement
and increased motivation for more frequent play. Cardio Tennis
offered non-traditional instruction set to music.

22

SPECIAL EVENTS
Badgers ADAPT.
Badgers ADAPT introduced students of all abilities to adaptive
and Paralympic sports, events, and activities. Rec Sports partnered
with the Adapted Fitness Program within the School of Education’s
Department of Kinesiology, the Division of University Housing,
and the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
Besides being more inclusive to all populations, ADAPT aimed to
educate all participants on the different skill sets a person must
develop to adapt to different situations and circumstances in life.

“

The goal of Badgers ADAPT is for all students on campus to
have a place where they feel comfortable pursuing recreational
activities. The fun, learning, and development that come with
participating is secondary to students feeling welcome in our
facilities and programs.

Students identified
teamwork, communication
and flexibility as important
skills during the activities.

My hope is that campus and community partners will continue
to work with the Division to provide this safe and inclusive
environment for UW-Madison’s students and community.

”

> Event creator and Coordinator of Competitive Sports, Ashley Lax

participants
in two Badgers ADAPT
23 events this year

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

128 54

volunteers

from across campus
helped with the events

This year’s featured events included Sitting Volleyball,
Adapted Biathlon (pictured), Goalball, Sledge Hockey and an
ADAPT Challenge Course at the Wisconsin Wellness Expo.

Day of Play.
The Day of Play outreach initiative grew
to two events during the school year.
The fall event adopted a Halloween
theme and included a visit from Bucky.
In the spring, Day of Play was a featured
activity at the Wisconsin Wellness Expo.
Rec Sports partnered with NFL Play
60 and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing
Board to further demonstrate the
importance of physical activity and
create a more memorable experience
for all the participants.

More than 250 children attended the events this year.

NFL Play 60 provided new
games and giveaways.

More than 50 student volunteers gave
their time to the Day of Play initiative
this year. UW student athletes from
the Badgers Give Back program also
volunteered at the event alongside the
Rec Sports student staff. These students
brought energy and excitement while
being a positive representation of the
mission of Rec Sports.

Every year the Wisconsin Wellness Expo
draws a crowd to learn more about
wellness resources in the community.

more visitors

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

(total of 800 this year)

149
thousand
participants at
special events
(includes spectators)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

â&#x20AC;?

> Day of Play co-creator Hannah Curley,
UW Clas of 2013

attended the Wisconsin
Wellness Expo than in 2013

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Day of Play is an
opportunity for us to share
our passion with the greater
community. We have the
chance to be positive role
models to kids and show that
physical activity is fun and
important. Partnering with
NFL Play 60 was a unique
opportunity for us to really
grow our event and join a
national initiative. I am very
excited about the potential for
growth of Day of Play!

TENNIS
Badger Open Tennis
WIAA State Tennis
USTA Campus
Championships
OTHER
American Cancer Society
Relay for Life
West Relays High School
Indoor Track
24

& COMMUNICATIONS

69

percent
growth in Facebook “Likes”
since 2012-2013

14

percent
growth in Twitter followers
since 2012-2013

98

followers
on Instagram with a soft
launch in summer 2014

25

3,000 students attended Rockin’ with Rec Sports, where a
passport was issued to students to encourage them to visit each
of the Rec Sports program tables.

Capitalizing on popular
trends such as memes and
infographics was an essential
strategy in connecting with
over 40,000 college students.

Identifying
trends and
making friends.
In its first full year as a Rec Sports
department, Marketing and
Communications continued to
form and improve processes to
better develop the Division’s
brand on campus. While
the majority of the year was
dedicated to creating and
managing the Master Plan
campaign, the Marketing and
Communications team grew to
include 15 student employees
who developed a variety of print
and digital (including video)
content for the Rec Sports
website, social media, internal
signage and other promotional
materials.
Rec Sports initiated
conversations to be included in
the next version of Mobile UW,
to be released in Fall 2014.

Inspired by the Dear World project that launched after
Hurricane Katrina, the Hey Badgers campaign asked Rec Sports
members to send positive and inspiring messages to campus
and encourage others to live happy, heathy lives. Photos were
posted to Facebook so that people could tag themselves and
share with their friends.
Because of the success of the Hey Badgers campaign and the
overall impact of social media on passing the Master Plan,
peer-to-peer marketing will play a large role in the 2014-2015
marketing strategy. Surveys indicate that referrals from friends
are effective in marketing Rec Sports programs, and social
media provides college students with a large and popular
platform to reach out to their friends.

RecSports

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL.
This year, Rec Sports officially launched a cleaner and more
versatile version of its logo, as well as its new mantra, Play
Hard. Get Fit. Live Well. Both elements were included on all
promotional materials in an effort to further solidify and
improve recognition of the Rec Sports brand on campus and in
26
the community.